Under the new system, passengers on flights from all countries could be subject to special screening before boarding if they have personal characteristics that match the latest intelligence information about potential attackers, the senior official said.
“We believe it is a much more effective system” that is “tailored to optimize our ability to interdict would-be terrorists,” said the official, who requested anonymity in describing the plan.
Even U.S. citizens traveling to the United States from abroad would be subject to special screening if they matched certain characteristics, the official said.
Administration officials said the system would provide greater fairness than the current method.
They said it would not amount to improper profiling because it would rely on specific and frequently updated intelligence and involve more countries than the current 14.
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